Mephit Madness
Welcome again to Masters and Minions, where I strive to give you interesting NPCs and encounters that can be placed easily into your game. This week’s encounter is with the dust mephit bard Dartan, Son of the Night, Lord of Eternal Darkness. Dartan was accidently summoned by one of the PCs when he or she tried to summon a new familiar (the ritual doesn’t actually fail; the real familiar appears next to the caster that summoned him about an hour or so later). Dartan sees himself as a tragic hero, something he tries to play up all the time, especially when it appears he is not wanted around. Dartan also writes dark poetry. Dartan’s favorite instrument is the lute.
Dartan, Son of the Night, Lord of the Eternal Darkness |
CR 5 |
XP 800
Male dust mephit bard 4
N Small outsider (air)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 19 (3d10+4d8+3); fast healing 2 (works only in dusty environments)
Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +6
DR 5/magic
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft, fly 50 ft (perfect)
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d3+1)
Special Attacks bardic performance 20 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +2), breath weapon (15-foot cone, effect based on type, Reflex DC 13 for half)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th)
1/day—summon (level 2, 1 mephit of the same type 25%), blur 1/hour, wind wall 1/day
Bard Spells Know (CL 4)
2nd (2/day)—hold person (DC 16), invisibility
1st (4/day)—cure light wounds, hideous laughter (DC 15), hypnotism (DC 15), unseen servant
0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound, light, mending, read magic, summon instrument
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Extra Performance (2), Improved Initiative
Skills Bluff +14, Fly +15, Perception +9, Perform (Oratory) +14, Perform (String instruments) +14, Stealth +17
SQ bardic knowledge, versatile performance (perform [oratory]), well-versed
Languages Auran, Common
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Breath Weapon (Su)
Each type of mephit can unleash a particular breath weapon every 4 rounds as a standard action. The DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.
The breath weapon of a dust mephit is a cone of dust that deals 1d4 slashing damage. The dust also causes living creatures to be sickened for 3 rounds. A Reflex save halves the damage and negates the sickened effect.